What stands out worked out from the figures below

Melrose has the most people working from home (29.6%).

Natick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Melrose	Natick
People
Population	29,650Lowest	36,873Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA	43.3±1.4Lowest 8% above MA
	Melrose and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Natick and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	20.4%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Melrose and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62%Lowest MA: 47.3%	70.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	5%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Natick and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$133,953±$14kLowest 29% above MA	$138,538±$11kHighest 33% above MA
	Natick and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA	$821,000±$25kLowest 46% above MA
	Melrose and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,970±$149Lowest 12% above MA	$2,134±$124Highest 21% above MA
	Natick and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,578Lowest 26% above MA	$8,914Highest 49% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.3%±8.1Highest MA: 51.8%	41.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Melrose and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.8%Lowest MA: 10%	5.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	68.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 19% above MA	31 minLowest 5% above MA
Work from home	29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6%	25.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Melrose and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#62 of 282 in MA	#48 of 282 in MA
School district	Melrose	Natick
High school in town	Melrose High	Natick High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	12.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.